A Dance With the Luna Moth
by ACE329
Summary: It is around one year after the death of the Pharaoh. Yuugi and Anzu’s senior year is coming to a close as they ponder what the future holds for them once they graduate. And perhaps they can finally face the demons that continue to plague them.
1. You Had Me At a Glance

A Dance With the Luna Moth

By: ACE329

Summary: It was one year after the death of the Pharaoh. Yuugi and Anzu's senior year is coming to a close as they ponder what the future holds for them once they graduate. And perhaps they can finally face the demons that continue to plague them.

Disclaimer: I most certainly do NOT own Yu-gi-oh!

Author's Note: I realized I like to give commentaries about my stories  Please enjoy, and if you feel so compelled, a review would be nice.

A Dance With the Luna Moth  
Chapter One- You Had Me at a Glance

"It was a disaster."

Anzu never failed to communicate what the rest of the group had been thinking. After the viewing of an over-blown comedy, Anzu, Yuugi, Jounouchi and Honda shuffled out of the movie theater, dazed and confused as to what they had just watched.

Where was the end to the overused gags, jokes, and clichés? It was one predictable line after another. It was to the point where the small group of friends were placing bets on what would happen in the movie as a result of, say, forgetting to turn off the bathtub faucet. Or going to an office party drunk. Or, because of said office party, two coworkers get at it like bunny rabbits in heat. Although Jounouchi in particular proposed completely ridiculous lines that the actors might have said, sometimes he came alarmingly close. Or other times, he would shout something completely disruptive at the screen, angering those around him who simply were not used to Jounouchi's loud ways. Exclaiming the notorious Star Trek phrase, "Beam me up, Scotty!" whenever a sexual situation or innuendo arose almost got the group kicked out of the theater.

Aside from the occasional remarks and bets made among the friends, the movie was a complete waste of one hour and thirty-two minutes of their time. Anzu couldn't complain though: because of such bets, she was about a thousand yen richer. She called it women's intuition.

"So what now?" Yuugi yawned as he used the heel of his hands to rub at his eyes. Apparently he had managed to sneak in a quick ten-minute nap during the movie. He was exhausted from pulling an all-nighter over a major assignment in his history class that he had forgotten about until the day before.

Yuugi wasn't alone in his idle ways. Both Jounouchi and Honda failed to work on the assignment as well, only it was because they didn't want to work on it, as opposed to a lack of memory. Anzu was the only one of the group to have finished her project perfectly on time; in fact, she was done even a few days before the assignment was due. Nonetheless, the foursome decided to go out and celebrate the completion of "the assignment from hell" which was mercifully on a day where there wasn't school proceeding the following morning.

Summer was approaching rapidly. The warm gusts of air that roamed outside indicated that muggy summer nights were just around the corner. Although it was nearing the end of June, to Anzu and the rest of the group, it wasn't "summer" until school was out. And strangely, it didn't _feel_ like summer. It wasn't quite hot enough, and there hadn't been any summer thunderstorms yet.

That was Jounouchi's favorite part of summer. Anzu wryly remembered all the times that Jounouchi would run around like a complete idiot in the middle of the road, laughing with each flash of lightening and crash of thunder. He didn't worry about cars zooming by as he practically danced on the cemented road, splashing boisterously onto chuckholes that served as deep-dish puddles; no one in their right mind would have wanted to drive in such caustic weather. Now although Anzu was never as enthusiastic about rainy weather as her male counterparts- fate often had it so she would be wearing a white shirt, after all- she thought Jounouchi's childish enthusiasm was sort of cute. Sometimes, Jounouchi reminded Anzu of an overjoyed puppy; the simplest things could put more energy in him than a pot of coffee.

Now with Honda, his favorite part of summer was definitely the bonfires. From the campfire food he could burn to a crisp to the smoky scent that lingered on clothing, Honda was a sort of a pyromaniac when it came to making a fire for the outdoors. He would often have Anzu, Yuugi and Jounouchi come over to his house to sit out under the stars and to bask in the glow of the fire. His house may have been small, but his backyard was large and free from prying neighbors' eyes. Which was perfect for those nights when Honda and Jounouchi would drink too much and make complete fools of themselves. Anzu and Yuugi both took heed to moderation, opting to not wake up in the morning with embarrassing memories from the previous night. They could both proudly say that no, they had not relieved themselves on their neighbor's front porch, and no, they had not found a tree as their latest love interest. Honda and Jounouchi had been guilty from both misdemeanors, not to mention an infinite amount more.

And of course there was Yuugi's favorite aspect to the long summer season- gazing under the stars. He would quietly observe the unfathomably large black sky above him as the infinite amount of stars would sparkle like bursts of glitter being projected into the air. On some nights, when the weather was right, Yuugi, Anzu, and sometimes Jounouchi or Honda, would sit on Yuugi's rooftop, right outside his bedroom window to look at the stars. It was just the right height, where Yuugi's bedroom was, so a gentle breeze could always be felt, even on the hottest nights.

There was something about the stars, Yuugi had said, that made them more than just temporary flickers of light. They had been floating through space for millions, even billions of years, with some probably surviving much longer than the Earth had been in existence. And the stars, which looked so _small_, were most likely exponentially larger than the sun itself.

"Doesn't that make you feel small then, insignificant, compared to everything else out there?" Anzu had once asked Yuugi.

But Yuugi shook his head at this. "No, not really. It actually makes me think how insignificant my _problems_ are instead. Everything that has happened in my life that has made me feel helpless or out of control, I just think of all the stars above me and in comparison, how little the conflicts in my life are. Looking from the perspective of the stars, no problem is too big. Nothing is unconquerable." Such was a response typical of Yuugi. How a person was capable of such optimism, Anzu did not know.

Anzu was abruptly cut off from her train of thought when she felt three sets of eyes stare her down. The awkward silence that rose between the group, ironically, spoke louder than any words the three teens could have shouted at her to break Anzu from her reverie.

Her azure eyes slowly scanned over the trio. "Um…?" Why were they staring at her like that?

"You like completely zoned out there. And we asked you a question." Honda was the one who felt the need to point out the obvious.

"And that question being…?"

"What do we do now," Yuugi repeated, only not adding an inflection at the end that indicated he was asking a question.

Anzu bit back a smile. "You guys are ridiculous. Why am I the one to come up with these things? Don't any of you hold an opinion of your own?" Sometimes, despite the fact that she hung around them all the time, Anzu felt she couldn't understand guys. How do their brains even work?

"Yeah, we all have an opinion, thank you very much. And as of right now, we all think that as an opinion, you should decide what we're gonna do next." Jounouchi grinned triumphantly at this, disregarding the fact that his statement essentially made no sense.

Anzu sighed at this. "Well how about we go to Denny's or something?" She couldn't go wrong with suggesting food. Food was always on her friends' minds.

Anzu had been right in her assumption. Noting the faces of her friends light up immediately, she heard a unanimous "Yeah!" and the familiar jingling of Jounouchi's car keys, indicating that the group was ready to head off.

Simple, simple boys. It didn't take much to make them happy, now did it?

Anzu became vaguely aware of Yuugi casting her a sideways glance. Ocean blue eyes met up with ethereal violet ones, filled with an emotion that Anzu could not identify. It was only for a fleeting moment, but it was enough to catch her off-guard. There was something that Yuugi wanted to say to Anzu; that much was easily revealed in his mirror-like eyes. But what was it?

"Yuugi…" Anzu uncertainly began as the group trudged through the movie theater's parking lot. She wondered if that brief moment was even worth mentioning. It could have simply been her imagination.

"Yup?" Yuugi wasn't looking at Anzu anymore. He kept his gaze strictly ahead of himself instead.

"Is…something wrong…?" Anzu's brow creased in hesitation, ignoring the loud outbursts from Jounouchi and Honda as they tackled one another throughout the parking lot, horsing around like a bunch of children on Halloween.

"No! Definitely not. What would make you say that?" Yuugi shoved his hands in his pockets.

Anzu sighed as she fiddled with a ring on her finger. "I dunno. You looked like you wanted to say something."

Suddenly Yuugi turned his head to look at Anzu head on. "You're being silly, Anzu! If I wanted to tell you something, don't you think I would have?" He then broke out into his usual grin, reverting back to his familiar self. Turning his attention to the other rowdy teens, Yuugi called for them to wait up as he chased them to Jounouchi's car.

Yuugi was acting like his usual happy-go-lucky self again, in the blink of an eye. But Anzu could have sworn that something was wrong! That look that Yuugi gave her…what was it? Sadness? Frustration? It was an unusual expression to be exposed on his face.

Anzu watched as Yuugi lithely jumped onto Jounouchi's back, attempting to wrestle him to the ground as Honda stole Jounouchi's car keys. Perhaps Yuugi's current state of silliness was just a tactic to fool Anzu.

It didn't.

But she would let it go…for now.


	2. Moons Over My What?

A Dance With the Luna Moth

By: ACE329

Summary: It was one year after the death of the Pharaoh. Yuugi and Anzu's senior year is coming to a close as they ponder what the future holds for them once they graduate. And perhaps they can finally face the demons that continue to plague them.

Disclaimer: I most certainly do NOT own Yu-gi-oh!

A/N:  So I'm not sure if there even is a Denny's in Japan- there most likely isn't. But since I'm not really familiar with any Japanese food chains that are open 24/7, we can just pretend that greasy American food is just as palatable to a Japanese person, okay? ;)

Chapter Two- Moons Over My What?!

"'Moons Over My Hammy,'" Jounouchi carefully articulated, with each syllable being pronounced with an extra dash of relish. He was clearly amused with the menu item's strange name.

"Where do Americans come up with such random _stuff_?" Honda finally exclaimed as he slapped the menu in front of him to indicate his disbelief. "'All-American Slam'? Like come on, where does that even come from?"

There was an awkward silence that emerged after Honda's last statement. Anzu tactfully cleared her throat, opting to change the subject rather than call out the poorly misunderstood teen in front of her. Besides, after putting up with both Honda and Jounouchi's crazy antics in the car- it was a very long ten minutes- she was too exhausted to enlighten him.

"Yuugi, what do you think you're going to get?" Anzu watched the spiky-haired teen's movements carefully. She was on the lookout for any additionally strange behavior.

There was just something about that _look_ that Yuugi gave Anzu earlier that really, truly perplexed her.

But Yuugi wasn't going to give Anzu any easy indicators. It appeared he was being unusually careful about his actions now. Every clearing of the throat, every flick of his bangs seemed so deliberate after that one slip. Yuugi apparently recognized that Anzu was on to him.

Yuugi threw a purposeful smile in Anzu's direction, regarding her question from moments ago. "Well, what would _you_ guess?"

'_Well played, Yuugi,'_ Anzu sardonically thought as she gazed over at her friend. He was making a poor effort to keep her thoughts astray from her surmounting suspicions.

She took the bait anyway. "I'm just going to throw this one out in the open…hamburgers?"

Yuugi's grin spread out slightly more. "Technically, no. I prefer mine with cheese. So I guess that would make it a _cheeseburger_."

"Ah," Jounouchi vocalized, completely understanding where Yuugi was coming from. He then dropped back out of the conversation as easily as he had slipped in by murmuring potential options to himself from the menu, with espresso-colored eyes scanning his choices. Anzu chose to ignore him.

"Okay then, so you're getting a cheeseburger. But can you guess what _I_ want?" It was a lame conversation, Anzu was well aware of it, and yet she didn't mind talking about such bland topics with her closet friends. For the time being, at least. The waitress who was fetching their drinks appeared to be taking her time anyway. In her defense however, Anzu did note that it was around midnight. Who wanted to work that late anyway?

Yuugi's plum-and-lilac colored eyes ran up and down the menu briefly. "I'd bet on a dessert. Maybe something with chocolate. But which one…?"

Anzu bit the inside of her cheek to keep from smiling. It was slightly daunting, to think how well Yuugi knew Anzu's tastes. How well he knew Anzu in _general_. It wouldn't surprise her if he even knew her shoe size.

…She would have to ask quiz him on that later.

Yuugi broke Anzu from her thoughts as his finger jabbed at a spot on the menu. "There. The 'Brownie a la Mode Cheesecake'. That's what you are going to get." Yuugi casted his friend a triumphant stare, his eyes daring her to deny him his victory.

How badly Anzu wanted to tell him that he was wrong! That smug look, how _familiar_ it looked to Atem's-

Anzu blanched. She didn't expect her thoughts to drift so lazily over to the dead ex-Pharaoh. If she didn't cease her train of thought immediately, it would quickly put a damper on her mood.

Yuugi caught a glimpse of Anzu's face. He tilted his head, ever so slightly, to get a better look at her. "Anzu…? Are you okay?" Anzu noticed Jounouchi and Honda had stopped talking and were staring at her expectantly. Why did they _always_ hear the worst parts of a conversation? It was like selective hearing at its finest.

Anzu fervently shook her head, eager to dismiss any concern over her. "Yeah of course I am! I was just shocked by…how right you were." Even as Anzu said it, she felt that uncontrollable sound of falsity that was laced within her voice.

Fortunately, Jounouchi and Honda fell for it, as they went back to wreaking havoc at their booth. Soon paper straw wrappers and clouds of salt and pepper would be launched through the air.

Yuugi frowned at Anzu. What a horrible liar.

"So how did you guess?" Anzu hastily asked, hoping to let the previous minute of awkwardness be dismissed entirely.

Yuugi exhaled as he responded. He wasn't likely to wrench a real answer from Anzu if she didn't want to reveal it.

"Well I thought to myself, 'what looks so sweet on this menu that I'm likely to get a cavity?' and then my answer practically leaped at me."

Anzu burst out into a bubbly laugh. "You're probably right. But I'm young. Let me enjoy my sugar heaven without you acting like Grandfather Time over there. And as if your choice is any more healthful!"

Yuugi puffed out his chest in defense. "Um, well I beg to differ. There's protein in meat. And the vitamins and minerals from the lettuce and tomato…"

"Bull crap, Yuugi." Anzu dismissively flicked a curtain of hair off her shoulder. "Tell your doctor that one."

At that point, the young waitress had finally arrived with the drinks. Balancing a tray on one steady hand, she carefully unloaded the drinks- one cherry limeade for Jounouchi, one crazy-unheard-of-energy-drink for Honda, one iced tea for Anzu and one chocolate milkshake for Yuugi.

Anzu raised an eyebrow that said it all when Yuugi couldn't resist a quick slurp from his shake before ordering his late-night dinner. _"Sweet enough to get a cavity?"_ she had silently mouthed to her friend. Yuugi just shrugged as the thick chocolate shake shot up the straw and into his awaiting mouth.

"May I take your order?" the waitress asked, as if on cue, the moment Yuugi had swallowed. Her pen clicked on and off as she waited for the request.

"Yessss…" Yuugi finally said as he momentarily scanned the menu to ensure he was getting the best possible, greasy choice. "I think I'll get the 'Double Cheeseburger' please?" Yuugi grinned, even as he said it, as his fingers slowly grasped the menu and closed it shut in satisfaction.

There was a fleeting moment of silence as the waitress scribbled the order down. "And you, sir?" She was gesturing over to Honda, the next one in the clockwise circle.

"'K, I think I'm gonna get the 'All-Japanese Slam,'" Honda semi-pretentiously stated as he leaned back in the booth. The sound of scribbling stopped.

"We don't have that here."

A self-righteous smirk spread over Honda's face easier than melting butter. "No, but there should be. I believe it was initially called the 'All-American Slam' but I gave it a better name. We _are_ in Japan, after all." Jounouchi snorted, quite pleased with Honda's rationale.

An annoyed grimace became plastered on the waitress's face. "Right. So is it the 'All-American Slam' or what?"

"Well…" Honda drawled.

"Yes. That's exactly what he wants. Hash browns, not grits, and white toast on the side," Anzu finally blurted out, sparing the waitress and the rest of the group a potential few minutes of squabbling.

The waitress gratefully nodded her head as she moved on to Jounouchi. Anzu ignored the enraged looks from Honda and his partner-in-crime. _"Buzz kill,"_ they both mouthed. It was like their minds were as one.

The waitress briefly flicked her pen in Jounouchi's direction. "And you?"

Jounouchi was silent for a moment. Then he smiled.

"'Moons Over My Hammy,'" he finally decided, quite pleased with his choice. "With the hash browns too…" Jounouchi considered this and then added, "Can I have a side of your sweet sexy self as well?" At this, he raised his eyebrows suggestively.

It was remarkable how Jounouchi was able to appear completely serious.

Honda roared with laughter while Yuugi bit back an embarrassed smile. He was afraid to laugh, in fear of Anzu's reaction to sexist remarks.

And Anzu _was_ enraged. Perfectly justified in her actions, Anzu used her menu as an adequate smacking device to pummel over Jounouchi and Honda's heads. "Why do you guys _always_ have to cause trouble wherever you go? Do you both need a leash and a muzzle or something?! We can't take you anywhere!" Yuugi was thrilled to be included in the 'we.' At least _he_ was mature. Yuugi cherished the remark as an honor.

Anzu finally straightened herself out as she settled back down. After taking a small sip of her iced tea, she cleared her throat. "I'm really sorry, miss. They're just being jerks. Please ignore their toddler-esque behavior."

The waitress seemed relieved that at least someone in the group had a maturity level above her shoe size and gave a forgiving smile. "It's all right. Happens all the time. What can I get for you?"

Anzu could easily sympathize with the waitress, being one herself for a considerable period of time. It was _hard_. Crazy hours, sexual harassment, even inadequate tipping at times. It was Yuugi who had eventually convinced Anzu to reconsider her job options. Now Anzu was working as a receptionist at a local firm and was quite pleased with her wages for a part-time job.

"I'll just have the 'Brownie a la Mode Cheesecake' please," Anzu sighed, closing her dessert menu conclusively.

The waitress nodded her head. "All right. I'll be back with your orders shortly." Without hesitation, she turned on her heel and marched off, eager to get away from Jounouchi and Honda's prying eyes.

There was a silence. It was short lived. Anzu's fiery blue eyes soon washed over Jounouchi and Honda.

"Really, guys? Did you honestly have a need to harass a _waitress_? Why do you insist on looking at every person without a… without a _dick_ between her legs like a piece of meat? Why do you both have to be so obnoxious?" Anzu really wanted to know. Where was the pleasure in flirting with a poor, unsuspecting waitress who was only doing her job? Guys like Jounouchi and Honda undoubtedly made her life that much more unpleasant.

But Jounouchi only leaned back at this with a satisfied smile while Honda shrugged his shoulders completely unoffended. They were used to Anzu's feminism rants.

"Chill, Anzu…we were just teasing! Didn't mean any harm." Jounouchi persisted with his smile, knowing he would eventually win Anzu over with his casual – and undoubtedly, charming- demeanor. Honda just sat silently, letting his friend do all the sweet talking.

Anzu grumbled at this, but let it go. She eagerly anticipated the day when her friends' hormones would die down. It wasn't likely but still, it _had_ to be a possibility….

"It's a really nice night out," Yuugi randomly remarked as he peaked through the semi-shut blinds that covered the window to the left of their booth. Perhaps he was hoping for a change in the tone of the conversation being exchanged between his friends.

"Yeah. And?" Jounouchi gave Yuugi a bemused expression.

"And maybe that means we could go star gazing on my roof after this…?" Yuugi's voice was tinged with hope. It was always better to look at the sky with someone with you, Yuugi had often said. That way, you were able to see twice as much as you could before.

But Honda shook his head at this. "Sorry buddy, but I've got a manly need to burn some marshmallows in my fire pit." Anzu, despite her sour mood not too long ago, broke out into an involuntary chuckle. "Manly" and "marshmallows" certainly did _not_ go well together.

"Yeah, Yuugi. I was kinda hoping to be as one with nature too…" Jounouchi trailed off humorously. "You know, with the burning of things outside and stuff."

"Like marshmallows?" Anzu sarcastically probed. Despite the joking nature of the conversation, Anzu could see a bit of disappointment reflecting in Yuugi's eyes.

"Yuugi, I'll watch the stars with you if you want," Anzu readily volunteered. In doing so, she had also ditched her previous plans of wanting to catch some extra sleep before her upcoming final exams, but she had more important issues to tend to at the moment.

Namely, she wanted to ask Yuugi about that look he gave her earlier. It was still an unanswered question that floated in the back of Anzu's mind, a quiet inquiry but there nonetheless. She couldn't explain why, but it just _bothered_ her.

The genuinely happy expression that graced Yuugi's angelic features because of Anzu's response was enough to warm her heart inside and out. For a moment, he almost looked like he was a young teenager again, before a constant memory plagued his heart…

Fleetingly, the face vanished into a more collected expression. "Thanks, Anzu. At least one of my friends doesn't mind spending more time with me." Yuugi shot his other two friends a feigned hurt look.

"Ah, shut up Yuugi! If you want to change your mind and camp out at Honda's house tonight, you're more than welcome to," Jounouchi offered to his best friend, despite it wasn't his house to offer. Honda let it slide anyway.

Yuugi rolled his eyes at this. "You know Grandpa always accuses me of smoking whenever I get within a ten-foot radius of a fire. I'd rather avoid the citations tonight."

Yuugi's friends burst into laughter at this. It was so absurd yet still perfectly believable. At least at the Motou's house. Even more absurd, they all knew Yuugi was being completely serious.

At last the food arrived, much to the group's delight. Yuugi was especially looking forward to his unnaturally-sized meat football-on-a-bun and planned to relish every bite of it. How Yuugi was able to fit that monster food into his small stomach, Anzu did not know.

Although truthfully, Yuugi wasn't exactly "small" anymore. It was incredible how much he had grown within the premises of a year. With a surging and insatiable appetite following Yuugi everywhere he went, it apparently was used as a fuel to shoot him up to an impressive 5' 7. It was impressive not because of the height itself, rather, it was considering the fact that Yuugi had grown around seven inches. It had to be one of the biggest growth spurts in Yuugi's history. Anzu gazed at Yuugi appraisingly, noting how his chest and arms were becoming more toned as well.

Yuugi was growing into the body of a man.

Anzu's face immediately flushed, silently cursing her unexpected turn of thoughts. Where did that even come from? Uncomfortable with where her thoughts had been heading, she directed her attention to the delicious looking cheesecake slice in front of her.

"_Come here you divine slice of heaven," _she thought to the cheesecake as she watched the hot fudge drip down seductively. She would have laughed at her ridiculous thoughts if she didn't desire to taste the irresistible dessert so much. Without another moment's hesitation, she stabbed her fork into the cheesecake, gently pulling away a generously -sized bite to soon be devoured.

"Mmmmmm…." Anzu moaned happily as she shoveled the large bite of cheesecake into her mouth. Unladylike in her manners, Anzu polished off the fork with her tongue. She didn't care. She was eating with a bunch of guys, for God's sake.

Medleys of chocolate and cream danced and swirled in her mouth, sweeter than anything her taste buds had ever encountered in a long while.

And Yuugi was so right; the sugar-packed slice of divinity that lay before Anzu could probably give her a cavity. One look at the cheesecake's stats would probably give dentists nightmares.

She was pulled out of her sugar-coated fantasy when she realized that Yuugi wasn't eating anymore.

He was staring at her. It was an unusually blatant stare, especially by Yuugi's standards.

Anzu hesitantly swallowed as she put down her fork. It was that look again! Why was he looking at her in such a strange way…?

She couldn't take it anymore. She _had_ to call him out on it. "Yuugi. You're doing it again."

Yuugi, broken out of his trance, blinked. "Doing what again?"

"You keep staring at me! Did I do something wrong? Is there something on my face?" Anzu self-consciously raised a hand to her mouth, unsure if her "operation: devour chocolate cheesecake" escapades had gotten too far.

Yuugi jumped, slightly taken aback, as he vehemently shook his head three, maybe four times. "No no no no no! Not at all. It's nothing. I didn't mean to…" he then trailed off, realizing he was beginning to ramble. He uncertainly bit his lip as he stared back down at his food.

Anzu sighed. "Yuugi, calm down. I was only asking." It was useless. The chances of Yuugi telling her what was going on were as likely as Jounouchi claiming that Kaiba was his newest "bff." And if it were serious, he especially wasn't going to tell her with Jounouchi and Honda, with their crazy selective hearing, around.

"It was absolutely killer," Jounouchi loudly remarked, filling everyone in regarding his approval over his meal. Anzu noted how his entire plate had been cleared. It had barely been five minutes! And Anzu didn't even have more than one (albeit _large_) bite of her beloved cheesecake. Could someone's stomach explode if they ate too fast?

"Mine was better," Honda claimed, turning the tastiness of their food into a contest. "I'd give it five stars."

"Then I give mine _six_ stars," Jounouchi growled, cocking an eyebrow in challenge.

"You idiot, you can only go up to five stars!"

"I still give mine six, then." Jounouchi didn't bow down to trivial rules. Especially ones involving how many stars a meal deserved.

"How about you both stop arguing, and realize that we are only at _Denny's_? We are not at some posh Mediterranean restaurant, we are at a food-chain diner. For the love of _cards_." Yuugi had finally cut in, after growing wary of bickering that could last for hours. It was a friendly sort of arguing for the sake of arguing of course, but still, it got annoying.

Jounouchi and Honda gawked at Yuugi in disbelief. He rarely cut them off from their squabbling. He would usually just roll his eyes and sigh, letting things play out.

Anzu however, thought it was quite impressive. Had it been even a year ago, would Yuugi have had the nerve to interrupt a conversation? Anzu thought not.

"So…you didn't like your cheeseburger then?" Honda finally concluded.

Yuugi's eyes slowly trailed down to his nearly-devoured cheeseburger and then back up to Honda, as if to say, "Well what do _you_ think?"

"I think what Yuugi means to say is, why can't we just enjoy our food without breaking out into insults every two seconds? We're probably gonna get threatened by the manager to either quiet down or leave, just like at the movie theater!" Anzu managed a swift glance in the wait staff's direction, vaguely noting some irritated expressions. She sighed.

Unfazed, Jounouchi took a swig of his drink. "We weren't fighting. We were just-"

"-Fighting like an old married couple?" Yuugi supplied.

Honda pounded his fist on the table in outrage. "No!"

"Yesss…" Both Yuugi and Anzu drawled in unison. They both stopped and caught one another's eye. Yuugi grinned sheepishly while Anzu broke out into a laugh.

"Check, please!" Jounouchi suddenly yelled across the room, waving wildly to the waitress who had served them earlier.

Anzu stopped laughing. "What, why? I haven't even finished my dessert yet!"

"Too bad! That's what you get for making fun of us!"

"Just because you're a total pig and can't extend a meal for more than five minutes-"

"Honda, did you hear something?"

Honda polished off his plate without even glancing in Anzu's direction. "Nope. Not a thing."

"That's what I thought."

Anzu's cerulean eyes blazed on fire at this. "Excuse _you_, but-"

"On second thought, there might be an annoying fly buzzing around…"

Honda quickly caught on. "Ah I see what you mean. Sort of like a buzz-kill fly? Those are the worst. Waiter, there's a buzz-kill fly buzzing around in my soup-"

"Oh, that is so _it_-!" Anzu's fingers were beginning to clutch onto her drink, ready to jettison it to its newest owners, but fortunately the waitress came up producing four separate checks. Anzu's grip on her drink slackened as she stifled her rage for the time being.

Yuugi sighed in relief as he slumped back into his seat. He was afraid that Anzu was really going to let Jounouchi and Honda have it.

Jounouchi, however, didn't have "fear" as a registered word in his dictionary. "Say Anzu, what was it that you were saying?" He deliberately rested his chin on the palm of his hand, taking on a somewhat arrogant posture.

He was clearly just teasing, but sometimes Anzu felt like she was going to lose it if she hung around the hyperactive teen for too long.

Honda drummed his fingers on the table in delight. "Oh yeah, I think she was threatening you. Or something like that."

For that matter, Anzu would lose it if she hung around _both_ hyperactive teens for too long.

"Let's just get out of here," Anzu finally groaned as she rummaged her purse for her wallet. She wondered if Jounouchi drinking sugar in the form of liquid or Honda consuming an energy drink was such a good idea. Did they really need the extra boost?

"Whose turn is it to pay the tip?" Yuugi randomly piped up. "Last time it was Jounouchi."

"Right. And if it were me again, I wouldn't pay anything 'cause that chick wouldn't give me my side dish!"

"Jounouchi, grow up," Anzu chastised, "That isn't even funny anymore."

"Well I thought it was," Honda offered. "I wanted a lil' bit of her sweet sexy self too."

Anzu, defeated, decided to let it go. "You know what? I think I'll cover the tip. Because clearly, none of you guys know how to take pity on that poor waitress."

Yuugi was about to protest before Jounouchi held up a hand. "Come on, you know she didn't mean you."

Yuugi pursed his lips together in agitation. "So I don't qualify for a guy now?"

Honda and Jounouchi exchanged glances. They knew that if they weren't careful, not only would they have succeeded in angering Anzu, but Yuugi as well.

Which meant the car ride back home would probably be hell.

"No, it's not that..." Jounouchi carefully amended, trying to find the right words, "It's just-"

"You know what?" Anzu broke in, "I think that Yuugi is way more mature than both of you guys _combined_ so that would make him twice as manly!"

Despite the delicate subject, Yuugi's lips curved up in a good-natured smile. "Okay, I wouldn't go _that_ far."

The group fell into an uneasy silence. Then, they collectively broke out into a laugh.

"Do you think the 'assignment from hell' kind of made us crabby?" Honda grinned.

"Well we did pull all-nighters…" Jounouchi trailed off. "Minus Anzu, of course. She's just always a sour puss."

"It would explain why we're all being so touchy," Yuugi admitted, watching the strain on Anzu's face as she tried to ignore Jounouchi's previous comment.

"I'll pretend you didn't say that," Anzu huffed as her fingers finally pried open her wallet. "Now how much money do you think we owe the waitress?"

Yuugi bit his lip in a split second of thought before he shook his head. "No, I got it! Don't worry about it."

Anzu paused. "What, really? Wasn't your turn to pay the tip before Jounouchi's?"

Yuugi began messing with the bands that encircled his wrists. "Well, yeah, but I'll do it anyway. It's not a big deal!"

Honda was about to make a sly remark but was cut off when he felt Jounouchi unexpectedly elbow him in the side. Judging from the look he was getting, Honda then knew what Yuugi was trying to do.

He was proving that he could be what Anzu labeled as "boyfriend material."

Honda was wondering when Yuugi would finally get around to it.

Anzu gave Yuugi a perplexed look. "Well are you sure?"

"Anzu you're making it seem like I bought out an entire hotel for the night. Yes I'm sure." Unceremoniously, Yuugi slapped down the proper amount of money. "All righty, let's go."

And much to the wait staff's relief, the four teens finally gathered up their things and exited the restaurant. The muggy atmosphere from before contrasted sharply with the cooling night air, which made Anzu shiver. She was glad to be outside though; sitting through a movie and in a cramped booth for a late-night dinner was enough leisurely indoor time for Anzu's tastes.

She would be looking forward to sitting outside on Yuugi's rooftop, admiring the stars.

She did it enough times with Yuugi before, but Anzu couldn't help but wonder: would it be different this time? Yuugi was acting strange around her. It wasn't in a bad way, but it certainly made Anzu second-guess herself.

And it didn't help that recently, Anzu's thoughts towards Yuugi were beginning to drift. She was afraid to admit it, but did she still think of Yuugi as _just_ a friend? The thought frightened her.

While piling into the backseat of Jounouchi's car, judging from the shivers that shot up Anzu's spine when Yuugi casually pressed his hand against her back for balance made her think otherwise.

No, there was definitely something more that was beginning to take hold of Anzu's heart.

**A/N:** I'm soooo sorry about how long this chapter turned out to be! I wanted to shorten it, but I didn't know where without the pace sounding too rushed…but thanks for reading!


	3. Absolution

A Dance With the Luna Moth

By: ACE329

Summary: It was one year after the death of the Pharaoh. Yuugi and Anzu's senior year is coming to a close as they ponder what the future holds for them once they graduate. And perhaps they can finally face the demons that continue to plague them.

Disclaimer: I most certainly do NOT own Yu-gi-oh!

A/N: Yikes. I realized I had been butchering Yuugi's last name- it's not Motou, it's Mutou. I may or may not have spelled it incorrectly in previous chapters (or in other stories, for that matter). Boy I feel stupid. Sorry…  
Anyway, this is the final (exceedingly long) part to the mini-fic. It FINALLY has to do with the summary and title I refer to this story by. (I can see it now: "What's a luna moth and what does it have to do with anything…?)  
Lastly thank you to those who read my story!

Chapter Three: Absolution

"Hey Anzu, do you want anything to eat?" Yuugi's head was hidden behind the refrigerator door as he raided its contents.

It had been approximately ten minutes since Jounouchi had dropped both Yuugi and Anzu off at the Kame Game Shop. Sugoroku Mutou had thankfully been sleeping, leaving the teens to themselves without the awkward questions that adults usually asked.

"Yuugi, we just ate less than an hour ago! You can't possibly be hungry." Anzu was completely incredulous at Yuugi's constant appetite. After devouring an insanely large hamburger (excuse her, _cheeseburger_), how could Yuugi possibly have any room left in his stomach?

Yuugi poked his head out of the fridge for just a moment to flash his friend a sheepish grin. "Well yeah, sorta. I mean, I at least want some dessert!"

After a few more seconds of rummaging, Yuugi finally shut the refrigerator door, disgruntled.

"We never have anything to eat in here…" Yuugi trailed off, his lilac eyes roaming the kitchen for more areas to scavenge.

"Well if you'd stop eating it all, maybe you would!" Anzu laughed as she watched Yuugi shuffle over to the cupboards.

Had it been even a year ago, Yuugi would have struggled to search the cupboard's contents- it was far too high up. Like his grandfather, he would have to momentarily disgrace himself by using a stepstool. But _now_…now, with Yuugi's ever-growing body, he was easily able to forage the food stock properly.

Anzu was broken out of her musings when she heard a delighted cry from her friend.

"Anzu-! They're still here!" Yuugi sounded more than elated- comparable to a kid on Christmas.

"_What's_ still here…?" Anzu uncertainly asked.

"The Peeps! The Peeps from that one time we went to the movies! Remember?" Yuugi was now waving around a miserable half-consumed box of Peeps, which faintly sparkled from the dyed yellow sugar crystals which generously covered the bird-shaped marshmallows. Occasionally clouts of the yellow sugar would fly out of the opened box as Yuugi wagged it in the air, proud of his discovery.

Anzu strained to remember the last time they went to the movies other than today. It had definitely been a while ago. There _was_ that one time school had been cancelled due to an insincere bomb threat- Anzu and her three best friends decided to celebrate by buying an immeasurable amount of candy and pigging out at the movies…

But that was in early March.

Which would make those Peeps…

"Yuugi you can't eat those! Those have to be at least three or four months old!" Anzu's mouth puckered in horror as she eyed the offensive box.

Yuugi's tone shifted to defensive. "Three and a half. And they're fine."

"Throw them out!" Anzu strode over to her friend to snatch the box away. If Yuugi ate those things, he would probably get violently sick or worse…

Yuugi was quick to respond however, as he ducked under Anzu's arm and slid a few paces away.

"I don't think so!" Yuugi laughed as he protectively cradled the Peeps box in his arms. "Hey, you know what we should do?"

"What." Anzu flatly said, eying the box and wondering what her chances were to still be able to pilfer it.

"We should play Peep wars. You know, stick toothpicks in them like jousting knights and microwave them until they expand. Whichever one stabs the other first wins!" Yuugi was already searching for toothpicks before Anzu could respond.

"Would that mean that you wouldn't eat them?" Anzu finally asked, after a brief second of silence in thought.

Yuugi finally found the toothpicks as he grinned over at Anzu. "I may or may not."

Anzu sighed in exasperation as she shrugged her shoulders in defeat. "Well then you're on."

It was a very simple procedure, which baffled Anzu as she saw Yuugi brimming with anticipation. Taking two very stale Peeps, Yuugi unceremoniously stabbed a toothpick into each. He set them on the same plate and cast it into the microwave.

"Anzu we should place bets on which one will win!"

Anzu was tempted to comment on how the two expired marshmallows were exactly the same but decided against it. Let the ridiculous teen have his fun.

"Fine. I'll take the one on the left." Anzu didn't really bother to look at either to see which one was bigger. She was hoping Yuugi would win, and in turn he would forget to eat his prize while gloating.

"Then that leaves me with the one on the right. What are we betting on?"

Anzu paused, not really sure of what she wanted. "I don't know, I guess. Can I put a rain check on my bet if I win? I'll let you know when I think of it."

Yuugi sarcastically rolled his eyes as he exhaled loudly. "Well _God_, I guess…"

Anzu whipped her arm out, lightly whacking Yuugi on the shoulder. "Shut up, you. Now what are _you_ betting on?"

Yuugi faltered at this before he broke out into a scheming smile as he tented his fingers. "Well there's this girl and she makes reeeeally good banana pancakes. But unfortunately, she never makes them! And I've begged and pleaded with this girl but to no avail-"

"All right, _fine_. I'll make you your stupid pancakes if you win." Anzu had cut Yuugi off before he could go into detail over how cruel or lazy she was.

Yuugi's smile widened. "Excellent. All the pieces have fallen into place."

Yuugi was clearly doing his classic act of being some crazy scheming villain while he attempted to manipulate any of his friends. It was one of Yuugi's idiosyncrasies that Anzu found both hilarious and yet so annoying (but in a cute way, Anzu amended).

After the terms of agreement had finally been established, Yuugi closed the microwave door, very much like how a coffin lid is sealed shut. Soon the godforsaken marshmallow birds would have to suffer from their swollen fate.

Anzu was embarrassed to admit it, but the moment Yuugi had pressed the "start" button on the microwave, she was suddenly filled with a sense of excitement. What if she did win? What would she ask Yuugi to get for her? To _do_ for her…?

Soon the miniscule chocolate dots that served as the birds' eyes grew apart as the marshmallows began to expand. Like compulsive eaters in fast forward motion, the Peeps suffered an inevitable fate of swelling until the toothpicks protruding in them began to get dangerously close to its opponent.

"Finish him off, you stupid bird!" Anzu finally exploded. She couldn't contain her enthusiasm any longer.

Yuugi burst out laughing as together the duo watched the Peeps tantalizingly circle one another on their revolving "battlefield." The microwave, meanwhile, ever so slowly counted down the seconds.

Anzu glared at her pawn, hoping her watchful stare would somehow propel it to inflate faster. Yuugi, on the contrary, started hopping up and down and waving his arms around in encouragement, comparable to a soccer mom watching her son score the winning goal.

In the end, cruelty beat kindness as Anzu delightedly witnessed the defeat of her opponent. Her Peep had jabbed Yuugi's, and not a moment too soon- they could barely tell which one stuck first, if it hadn't been for Anzu's intense gaze on the "match."

Anzu let out a victory yell as she threw up her arms in ecstasy. "Yes! I beat the King of Games! I did it!"

Yuugi's shoulders slightly sagged as he grudgingly opened up the microwave door. "Darn. And I thought I had the home field advantage too…"

Anzu gave Yuugi a playful slap on the back. "Aw come on! Don't be such a sore loser! Be happy that you get to cater to whatever I want now!"

Yuugi bit back a good-natured smile, feigning his indignity. "_Whatever_. I would challenge you to another round if it weren't for my precious limited supply of these things!"

The duo stood in momentary silence as their glances drifted down to the gooey mess on the plate. Deflated and wounded, the Peeps dejectedly laid in ruins.

"…Are you gonna eat that?" Yuugi finally asked.

Anzu released a groan of frustration as she unexpectedly lunged to steal away the plate in Yuugi's hands. "No, and you're not either!" she yelled resolutely.

Yuugi cried out in surprise as he held his one arm carrying the plate away from his friend. Anzu, in turn, attempted to reach over him to grab away the likely-poisoned marshmallows. She was finding difficulty, however, in accomplishing her goal- how had Yuugi gotten so big within a year's time?

"What's going on here?" a voice demanded in a groggy and sleep-laden voice. Both teens froze, knowing the owner to the voice was no other than Yuugi's grandfather.

What an awkward sight for Sugoroku Mutou to walk in on. Not only was Anzu pressed up against his grandson, he was holding away a plate containing what looked like misunderstood wads of yellow putty.

"What the-"

"I can explain!" Yuugi interrupted in his immediate mortification. He apparently realized what the situation might have looked like to the outsider.

Anzu and Yuugi had parted away from each other at this point while the latter carefully set the plate down on the counter. One would have thought he was dealing with a radioactive substance.

Sugoroku rubbed his eyes in exhaustion as he heaved a sigh. "Well please do, Yuugi. I'm dying to know."

The two teens casted a sideways glance at one another before they both said in hesitant unison, "Peep wars?" They wondered if that would suffice to fill the aged man in.

Sugoroku eyed the situation before him one more time, realizing that he didn't really care to know- he just wanted to make sure that the apocalypse wasn't happening or some other crazy disaster. "So I see. Now I'd appreciate it if you two youngsters would keep it down. Some of us have to get some sleep around here."

"We're really sorry, Mr. Mutou! We'll be quiet!" Anzu apologized in earnest. She knew that although Yuugi's grandfather was really a nice man, he could get quite grouchy if deprived of his sleep. And she didn't blame him! She wouldn't want to be woken up by two morons playing with marshmallows either.

"For the sake of Duel Monsters, let's hope so," Sugoroku muttered as he turned his back away in retreat. "And get some sleep! Kids your age never get enough of it."

Yuugi rolled his eyes at this, hearing the same line many times. "'Night, Grandpa."

Sugaroku grumbled something incoherent in response, waving his hand dismissively. The sound of shuffling slippers was soon heard travelling back down the hallway.

Then it fell silent.

Anzu cleared her throat after a few more seconds before she said, "You know, maybe we should go outside now."

Yuugi nodded in agreement. "Yeah. Good idea…we're definitely bringing some food outside though. You want anything to drink?"

"And we're back to square one," Anzu laughingly observed as she watched Yuugi walk back over to the pantry. Maybe he even forgot about the abandoned Peeps on the counter.

"Hey you know how Jounouchi and Honda are probably sitting around a campfire right now? I'm thinking we should have s'mores, or you know, something outdoors-y."

"'Outdoors-y'?" Anzu mused, mostly to herself.

"Yeah," Yuugi absentmindedly said as he began searching the cupboards again, "But I really think we should make s'mores. Only ours are gonna be so much better than anything Jounouchi and Honda will be making."

"Oh really? How so?" Anzu warily asked as she watched Yuugi grab a few boxes.

"Well for one, we'll be having _Peeps_ for the marshmallows, and I'm thinking we should use Reese's cups for the chocolate part." At this, Yuugi briefly waved a package of Reese's cups in the air for Anzu to see.

But Anzu was appalled. "Yuugi, that is _disgusting_."

Yuugi simply shrugged at this as he continued his search for graham crackers. "Sounds good to me."

Anzu slapped her forehead as she turned to the fridge to grab a water bottle. "Well you can have fun enjoying that disaster by yourself. I don't want to get sick tomorrow, thank you very much."

"Say, Anzu, you're not bringing water outside, are you?"

"Yeah I am. Why?"

Yuugi shook his head vehemently at this as he said, "Ah no you're not. Tonight is a celebration! We're upgrading to Kool-Aid."

Anzu looked at her friend incredulously. "So we're having a mutant form of s'mores and Kool-Aid, _not even_ including the dessert I had earlier. Is it possible to die from so much sugar?"

Yuugi eyed Anzu coolly. "I thought you weren't gonna eat the s'mores." Yuugi finally found the graham crackers- they were chocolate- as he closed the cupboards in satisfaction.

"Well I figure that if you're going to die, I might as well die with you."

Yuugi beamed at this as he dumped all the contents he grabbed from the pantry on the counter. There was everything for the "s'mores"- chocolate graham crackers, Reese's, and of course the Peeps. There were also various other junk foods, including potato chips, cookies and Sugaroku's "secret" stash of chocolate-covered pretzels.

Anzu suddenly felt sorry for Yuugi's grandfather. How must it feel for the _entire_ junk food stock to be wiped away within a single night!

"Anzu can you grab that pitcher of Kool-Aid from the fridge?" Yuugi asked as he tore into the box of graham crackers.

"Yeah sure. I can't believe you already have this stuff pre-made! You must be the only person in Japan to have all this crazy American stuff."

Yuugi squinted as he carefully began assembling the two s'mores. "My grandpa is a very cultured person. It must come with the territory of being an archaeologist."

Anzu began to pour the sugary drink into two glasses. "I'm just glad I don't have dance practice tomorrow. I'd probably sink instead of jumping into the air with all this garbage I'm eating."

"Don't be silly Anzu, you'd be better than anyone even if you ate an anchor for breakfast!"

Anzu smiled, thinking how blindingly determined Yuugi was to convince the world that she was as good a dancer as the elite on Broadway. Undoubtedly, the teen was unnaturally gifted; however, she still had a long way to go.

Anzu watched as her friend popped the two s'mores into the microwave. It wasn't as good as actually roasting the marshmallows, but the s'mores were destined to taste bad anyway.

Anzu grabbed the two glasses as she turned to go. "I'll be up in your room, okay?"

"Okay." Yuugi simply responded, mesmerized by watching the marshmallows swell.

Anzu snorted at this as she headed up the stairs. _Boys._

If there was one thing that hadn't changed through the course of the year, it was Yuugi's room. It was as if the bedroom had been frozen in time, oblivious to the changes of the outside world and its owner.

Duel Monster cards were scattered out on Yuugi's desk. Various games and books were carelessly tossed around the room, as if a tornado had come through. Piles of clothes laid haphazardly on the floor, some draped over the bed while others were leaking out of the closet. The bed was left unmade as usual, with some pillows and blankets lying abandoned next to it. Anzu knew Yuugi was a restless sleeper, likely to be tossing and turning as if red ants were crawling up his body in his slumber.

She would definitely help Yuugi clean out his room, Anzu resolutely decided. He couldn't keep his room a disaster forever!

Anzu cringed as she noticed a familiar glint of refracted light, bouncing off a golden box that had once contained the millennium puzzle. That had once contained an ancient Egyptian pharaoh…Atem.

Anzu was surprised that Yuugi still kept it so obviously out in the open, right on his desk. Didn't the memory of his "other half" hurt to be reminded of? And the final encounter between Atem and everyone else…it was all too abrupt, too sudden. True, Atem's friends _knew_ that his departure for the afterlife was inevitable, but that didn't mean it wouldn't hurt to witness the ancient spirit be engulfed by light and disappear forever. Begrudgingly, Anzu knew that Atem had been waiting for that moment for over three thousand years- he more than _deserved _to move on.

Still…if it had to be described as bittersweet, Anzu would say it was clearly more _bitter_ than sweet.

Anzu hated to admit it, but she had actually developed strong feelings for Atem. He was more than the conventional knight in shining armor…he was a _king_ in shining armor. Atem was regal and heroic in every way, perfectly composed with every obstacle that faced him. There was never a time in a chaotic or unfavorable situation where Atem made his friends feel less than confidant that he would come through. Aside from his final day on earth, hadn't he won almost every duel? Hadn't he invoked justice on every psycho who had tried to lay a hand against him or his friends?

Anzu would never forget the day of the ceremonial duel, when Atem and Yuugi had finally separated into their own bodies. At that moment, when Atem's lithe body had materialized, Anzu couldn't help but feel the dull aching- or burning- of lust. As she had expected, although he was nearly the twin of her best friend, there were still some considerable differences.

For one, Atem had the raging eyes of a king, a pharaoh. They burned with such intense determination and confidence that one glance could make the entire female race swoon.

And the color of those eyes! Those feline shaped eyes held the unattainable glow of an everlasting flame, burning a unique shade of garnet and plum. Anzu had yet to see another living creature to even match one half of the magnificence those eyes contained.

He had incredibly defined arms as well, with prominent biceps flexing with every subtle motion. His chest was broad and firm, and judging from his tighter clothing, he had a well-formed abdomen as well.

Of course, Atem had the posture of a king. Every step, every flick of the wrist seemed to have a certain grace to it. Atem stood tall despite his naturally petite frame, and the way his back arched-

"Anzu…?" came an uncertain voice.

Anzu rapidly blinked as she snapped out of her reverie. She had been standing before Yuugi's desk, so deep in thought she didn't even hear her friend's sudden entrance.

Yuugi's eyes traced to where Anzu had been looking. His face transitioned from neutral to a strange mix of sympathy, pain and confusion.

Anzu realized how foolish she must look, zoning out while staring at an empty golden box. "Yuugi…I was just remembering At- I mean, the spirit of the-"

"You mean Atem," Yuugi briskly corrected, brushing off the euphemism. It sounded strange to Anzu, to hear Yuugi actually say the ancient pharaoh's name- he had referred to the spirit as "mou hitori no boku" persistently until that very last day…

"Why do you have this box out here?" Anzu asked, hoping Yuugi wouldn't suspect she was fantasizing about a dead pharaoh.

"Well why not?" Yuugi simply answered back as he shifted the food from his left arm to the right. "Grandpa always told me it would be stupid to pretend something never happened in your life just because it hurts. I figure if I keep this box out in the open, maybe it will hurt slightly less each day when I think of him."

"And does it hurt less?" Anzu carefully probed. She knew she was treading in dangerous waters. Rarely had anyone even spoken of Atem ever since the day he had departed. Particularly, Jounouchi and Honda actually _pretended_ as if nothing had happened within the past few years regarding the crazy mishaps of ancient Egypt. And as for Ryou Bakura? As a friend who was also put in the unusual situation of sharing a body with a spirit, he definitely did not want to be reminded of the tomb thief whom he was forced to spend _way_ too much time with. He had made that clear the second everything was over. Anzu often wondered if Yuugi felt the same way- he had never brought the issue up before.

"Yes," Yuugi finally said after a moment of consideration, "It does hurt less. It has to, Anzu. It's called moving on."

"I can't believe how much you've changed, Yuugi Mutou," Anzu marveled as she gave her best friend a genuine smile. "I don't know where you get your strength from."

Yuugi, not very accepting of compliments, looked away as he opted to change topics. "So are you ready to go out?" Yuugi had set down the food he carried in his arms, abruptly heading over to the window.

Anzu sighed as she also set the two glasses she had been holding down. "Sure, why not."

A gust of cool wind greeted the two teens as the window was cranked open, causing various papers to flutter about the room. Anzu was definitely glad she decided to wear shorts that day as opposed to a mini skirt.

"You go first and I'll hand the 'goods' over to you," Yuugi instructed as he stepped aside for Anzu to get through. Anzu grabbed onto the hand Yuugi offered for stability as she agilely ducked under the window frame and slipped onto the roof awaiting her.

"Okay, bring 'em here!" Anzu offered once she plunked down in the least uncomfortable spot. Her long legs were placed in front of her, extended to keep herself from tilting downward from the roof's natural decline.

Soon boxes and packs of junk food were strewn across the roof, so heavy in bulk not even the wind could budge them.

"Let's see if I can get through without hitting my head this time," Yuugi remarked as he readied himself to exit his room through the window. His added inches from the past year undoubtedly helped him get onto the roof, and unlike most growing teens, he seemed to be quickly growing out of his awkward phase- Anzu couldn't help but admire how much more adept Yuugi had become through his movements.

Yuugi placed himself right next to Anzu, with their hips and shoulders touching.

It vexed Anzu how every touch, every glance that Yuugi gave her became a considerably more debated topic in her mind. It had never bothered her before whenever Yuugi got this close, so why did it now?

She also couldn't help but notice how _perfectly_ her head could fit in the crook of Yuugi's neck, or her body against his body…

"Hey-let's make a toast," Yuugi declared as he held up his clear glass filled with a cherry-red liquid.

"To what?" Anzu laughed as she held up her glass nonetheless.

"To all-nighters, finished-or _un_finished- assignments, horrible movies, and junk food."

"And Peep wars," Anzu tacked on as she tilted her glass to Yuugi's. "Cheers."

"Cheers," Yuugi agreed as they clinked glasses. They each took a sip, Yuugi's being hearty while Anzu's tentative. Anzu had a feeling the drink contained more sugar in it than her beloved cheesecake earlier.

She was right. Anzu winced as the syrupy liquid trailed down her throat. "Yuugi, take it easy on the sugar next time! You're going to die by the time you're thirty."

"I'd rather live vivaciously than under a rock," Yuugi grinned as he took another swig of the concoction.

"'Vivaciously'? Wow Yuugi, way to boost your vocab. That statement you just made would have probably gone right over Jounouchi and Honda's heads."

Anzu considered her words and then decided to add on, "You know, just now, you sounded a lot like Atem."

Anzu knew she shouldn't have mentioned what she had been thinking based on Yuugi's facial expression. It had suddenly turned sour.

Yuugi glanced down into his drink. "Anzu…although I cared for Atem deeply, that doesn't mean I want to be just like him. He was right on the day he left when he said there is 'only one Yuugi.' I want to be my own person, not someone aspiring to act like someone else."

Anzu bit her lip as she placed her hand on Yuugi's shoulder. "I didn't mean it like that, Yuugi. You know I see you and Atem as completely different people."

Yuugi looked Anzu directly in the eye. "Do you?"

The way the moonlight reflected off of Yuugi's violet eyes, the way it washed over his fairly complexioned skin, made Anzu realize how handsome her best friend really was. And in truth, how much he differed from Atem- both physically and mentally.

"Yes, Yuugi, I do." Anzu took her hand off of Yuugi's shoulder, accidentally brushing it down his back. He shuddered.

The teen turned his face away. "Anzu. Are you worried at all?"

Anzu was at a loss now. "About what?"

"About graduating. Within weeks we'll be out of high school. Every day that goes by is like a ticking time bomb to me."

Anzu tilted her head up to look at the stars. Yuugi was truly a master at changing topics. She decided to go with it. "I guess. But I'm kind of excited too. Going to Kyoto for a dance internship was definitely more than I was expecting! It's all happening so fast but you can't drag your feet complaining about those kinds of things. Like _you_ said, live vivaciously."

Yuugi had to chuckle at this. "_Who_ was the genius who told you that?"

Anzu ignored his rhetorical question. "So how do you feel about going off to college? I know you weren't really planning on it before- you've never really told me why you changed your mind."

Yuugi's face finally shifted to more serious. "I know Grandpa wanted me to take over the store when he becomes too old to manage it…but I think I should at least try to look at other options. I'm not even sure what I'm majoring in yet! But I'm hoping once I get in a few classes I'll find out what my interests are." Yuugi began to break open a bag of chips. "Besides, I can't play Duel Monsters for a living forever! I think Grandpa understands."

Anzu nodded her head encouragingly. "I'm sure he does. Isn't it every parent's- or grandparent's- dream to see their kid further their education?"

Yuugi laughed hesitantly at this. "One would think. But things change when you have a tuition bill slapped in front of you."

Anzu helped herself to a potato chip. "Very true. So Yuugi…that's it with Duel Monsters then? Will you ever play again once you head off?" Anzu couldn't imagine Yuugi simply _not_ playing his most cherished card game. There were so many memories attached with Duel Monsters…

"I'm not saying I'll _never_ duel again- I don't think my heart can take it! But something happened to me the other week which got me thinking."

"What's that?"

"I was walking back home after running a few errands for Grandpa. It was such a nice day out, I decided to take the long way home and snatch a look at Kaiba's new Duel Academy he had recently built. I still can't believe he did that, by the way."

Anzu nodded her head in agreement at this. Talk about Kaiba milking the cash cow. Right when the Duel Monsters craze was beginning to fizzle out, the teen CEO decided to establish an actual school to _train_ aspiring duelists. It was crazy, and yet people ate it up like it was the newest weight loss food.

Yuugi munched on a chip thoughtfully as he continued, "And as I was walking down some random side street after seeing the school some kid literally runs into me! I felt kind of sorry for him, though- he looked absolutely terrified! He was in such a hurry he didn't even notice that I was right in front of him. One look at the scattered Duel Monsters cards on the ground and the duel disk on his arm told me that he was probably a student at Kaiba's Duel Academy. He was heading in that direction too. And do you know what I was thinking, right at that moment?"

"What?" Anzu grabbed a handful of chips as she began to nibble on them. She vaguely wondered if a lack of sleep could make someone hungrier.

"I was thinking, 'this poor kid doesn't stand a chance! If he can't even pay attention to his physical surroundings, how can he expect to go beyond that when playing Duel Monsters?' So I did what any good Samaritan would- I gave him one of my cards. It was lucky for him that I decided to carry my deck with me that day!"

Anzu nearly choked on one of her chips. "You…you actually _gave_ him one of your cards? But that's like screwing with the system!"

Yuugi lightly scoffed at this. "I know, right? But looking at that kid kind of reminded him of me when I first started out. I didn't really stand a chance in the beginning. I just relied on Atem to pull me through the tough times and never really thought to stand on my own two feet."

Yuugi paused as he crushed the remainder of the potato chips he had been eating in his fist. He spread out his hand, letting the wind carry away the crumbs. "But you know, I wanted that kid to grow too. Just like how I did. Is that weird for me to think? I just felt that maybe a little bit of extra luck- even if it was just a card from my deck- would help him out in the end."

Anzu turned her head to glance at her friend. "So how did this teach you that you can't play Duel Monsters anymore?"

"I never said I wouldn't duel ever again. I'm just saying Anzu, people move on. The world keeps on spinning. Young people replace the aging. And if I keep on dueling as I have been, I'll feel like I'll forever be frozen in time. That's a part of my past now, although a very important part. Duel Monsters is attached to so many fond memories for me…and I want those memories to remain on a positive note, instead of turning sour through time. For now, I'm content with just letting new people dominate the gaming world as I branch out in other things. Does that make any sense?"

"Perfect sense," Anzu affirmed. She was impressed with Yuugi's resolve to quickly transition from the past to the future.

"Aw shoot, we let our s'mores get cold," Yuugi jestingly pointed out as he placed the plate on his lap. Gingerly, he picked one up and inspected it. "Anzu are you having one?"

Anzu exhaled through her teeth as she held out a hand. "Fine, if you insist."

Yuugi handed her the other s'more as he held his up to his mouth. He paused. "I want to let you know that if I die, I'm glad I'm dragging you down with me."

"Aw that's so sweet Yuugi, maybe if you're lucky I'll be dragging _you_ down to hell!" Anzu playfully nudged her friend at this as she ventured to take a bite of the sugar overload. Yuugi did the same.

Both teens were inspecting the other's face for any signs of revulsion. It took them a while to chew and swallow the thick layers of sugar-coated marshmallow, Reese's and graham cracker.

Eventually, Yuugi was the first to be able to speak. "So…how is it?"

Anzu finished her bite soon after. "It's…disgusting. In a delicious way." Yup, it was definitely the sleep deprivation that was talking. Had it been even an hour ago she would have probably spat the monstrosity out.

Yuugi grinned widely as he chomped down on another bite. "I think it's fantastic," Yuugi articulated through the food in his mouth. He forced himself to swallow the large bite.

But instead of Anzu's usual response of laughter, she failed to notice how silly Yuugi looked stuffing his face. Uncertainly, she looked down at her hands, wondering if she should speak what was suddenly on her mind.

"Yuugi…when I leave for Kyoto…do you promise to send me an email every now and then? And to maybe call me once in a while?" Anzu started toying with her already mangled s'more. She wasn't sure why, but the fear of Yuugi forgetting about her while they both were away had been bothering her ever since Yuugi brought up the "after high school" question. Once they part ways, what if Anzu would never have the chance to sit on Yuugi's roof again? To gobble down the most repulsive foods together? To just _talk_, for hours on end?

Yuugi stopped eating. "Well obviously! Why would you even question that?"

Anzu bit her lip. "I don't know. I mean, don't get me wrong, I'm really excited to go for my internship! It's just that I'll miss you guys so much back home. I'll miss _you_, Yuugi."

Yuugi eyed his friend carefully. "Look Anzu, this isn't the end of the world! I know I said I was nervous about leaving and everything, but I am definitely _not_ nervous about losing contact with you. If you won't call me, I'll call you nonstop until you pick up! I don't care if your new friends will think I'm a creepy stalker."

Anzu had to laugh at this. "I wouldn't mind. You know, if you called me that often…"

Anzu wasn't sure why a sudden wave of insecurity was crashing over her now. But the more she thought about it, the more it distressed her.

"Well that's why we need to make the most of our days until we both leave! That gives us nearly three months to mess around like how we are now." Yuugi was giving Anzu a reassuring smile as he comfortingly arranged his arm around his friend's shoulder.

Anzu leaned into Yuugi's warm body. "That's what I'll miss the most, I think. Doing the craziest things with you and not even caring about what anyone else would think. I don't know a single person who I could play Peep wars with, or critique a kid's movie, or do stupid things like ride around on tricycles with other than you."

Yuugi looked at Anzu with a sad smile. "And we still will when we see each other-"

"Don't look at me like that! It's like you know drifting apart will be inevitable and, and-" Anzu couldn't fathom why tears were suddenly streaking down her cheeks so forcefully. She had been in perfectly good spirits mere minutes ago and now she was a hopeless mess.

"Anzu! Look at me," Yuugi took his hand and gently tilted her head to look at him square in the face, "We will _never_ drift apart. Never. I promise you. Do you understand?"

He was looking at her with those eyes again…those ethereal lilac-infused eyes. Anzu couldn't help but wonder again, when had her best friend become so handsome?

And so she did the only thing that seemed the most reasonable…she kissed him.

Anzu's soft peach-tinted lips softly caressed Yuugi's smooth ones as he jumped in shock. However, in less than a split second, Yuugi was quick to return the show of affection by pressing his lips tenderly against Anzu's. Just like that. His breath was warm and sugary against her mouth as it sent shivers up her spine. Being this close to one another was intoxicating.

It was a short and simple kiss, and yet it was perfect for the two teens who had known one another for ages. There was no need to put on an overdramatic show or to feign extreme pleasure- it just seemed natural and sincere.

And yet…what chemistry! Anzu had never dreamed to react the way she did to one simple kiss. Perhaps the long wait had increased her level of satisfaction.

"What _was_ that?" Anzu whispered against Yuugi's lips.

"I could ask you the same thing- you kissed me first!" Yuugi swiftly answered, although a mild confusion still lingered in his eyes. Even though Yuugi was acting with a confidence he had never summoned up before in the past, Anzu could still see the faint flush of his cheeks in the moonlight.

"I was just cashing in on the bet that I had won earlier," Anzu casually reminded him, "It only seemed natural that I use it now. Don't you think?"

"I wouldn't have objected anyway, even if you call this your reward…" Yuugi admitted, trailing off.

He then briefly paused, considering. "So basically, you had just wasted your victory." An uncharacteristic grin slowly spread across the teen's face, comparable to the infamous Cheshire cat.

Despite Anzu's half-joking claim that the stolen kiss was her prize from winning the Peeps war, something still faintly tugged at her heart.

"Why is it I had to be the first to start it, Yuugi? How come you never wanted to?" By this point, Anzu knew that "conventional" wasn't exactly a word used to describe her life. She also had a feeling that with Yuugi especially, he probably would never make the first move. Was he too shy?

As it turned out, that wasn't Yuugi's reasoning at all. "Because Anzu…I think you're too good for me."

Anzu's face faltered. "How can you say that? We've known each other for so-"

"I know we've been good friends for years. But that's all I thought you saw me as- a good friend. So I kept my distance to respect your wishes."

Yuugi paused at this as he turned his head away. "And…I know that you used to have feelings for Atem. He was the person I aspired to be at first, but could never really live up to. When I realized you felt about him that way, I knew you were definitely off limits."

Anzu opened her mouth to say something in response but was silenced by Yuugi shaking his head. "I know what you're going to say- Atem's gone now so what does it matter? But Anzu, if Atem is the standard you're going after, how can I even compare…?"

"Stop. Do you really want to know the truth? I won't lie to you or sugarcoat this at all, I promise."

Yuugi nodded at this. "Please. I need to hear this from you."

Anzu sighed as she leaned back, holding herself up with her arms. "For most of the time, I did see you as my best friend- with no romantic feelings whatsoever. As far as I was concerned, you still acted like a little kid! And then you assembled the puzzle and awakened Atem inside of you. It didn't take me long to notice a distinction between you two, particularly whenever a stressful situation arose. I was enthralled, mesmerized by the fact that in my eyes, Atem was like a grownup version of you. In my mind, that's how I had you both labeled, and I know it wasn't fair. But as two whole years passed, until the very last day you beat Atem in the ceremonial duel, you've changed! You have grown so much as a person, and it couldn't be more obvious that Atem is not a 'grownup version' of you- he's a completely different person."

Anzu stopped for a second to contemplate her words. "Because you, Yuugi, have your own personality, your own strengths and weaknesses. You and Atem are not the same. I've known _you_ long enough to know every trait, every flaw about you, not Atem's. And I still love it all nonetheless. Because these quirks, like when you tend to make a mess whenever you eat, or act naively kind to every person you encounter-even telemarketers!- are what makes you Yuugi. The one and only Yuugi that I know by heart. That's why, whenever I look at you now, I can appreciate that you have been there for me since day one and always will be. I can appreciate that you are a truly genuine and generous person inside and out. I can appreciate that only we have been through everything together- from rough to happy times. I can appreciate this all because you are my one and only Yuugi."

Anzu was shocked when she realized that tears were brimming in Yuugi's eyes, sparkling like stars in the moonlight. He was trying so desperately hard to fight them back…but in the end, when Anzu opted to kiss each of Yuugi's eyes, they finally trickled down.

These were the words that Yuugi was starving for from the beginning. Just the simple recognition that no, he and Atem were not the same person was enough to finally give the teen the closure he needed. How badly he had yearned for Anzu to finally recognize that she wanted him over Atem! It was a selfish desire, and yet, Yuugi knew passion could make a person do or feel selfish things.

Yuugi briskly wiped away at the rest of his overemotional tears impatiently. From that point on, he became even more determined to develop stronger as a person. For Anzu's sake. Looking directly at Anzu, he opened his mouth to speak, then became distracted by something fluttering around behind her.

"What…what _is_ that thing?" Yuugi pointedly asked, astonished. Whatever it was, it looked like a butterfly, but so much more otherworldly! It was _huge_.

Anzu glanced back at what Yuugi was looking at and then broke into a pleased laughter.

"Yuugi, it's a Luna moth! I haven't seen one since I was a little girl. How perfect for it to come out now…"

Yuugi kept his eyes glued on the creature as it seemed to almost dance in the air. "But what is a Luna moth? Why is it perfect that-"

"The Luna moth is one of the rarest insects to find in the world," Anzu delightedly explained, "And do you know why?"

Yuugi shook his head, entranced by the Luna moth's movements. It was drawn to the light from Yuugi's bedroom window, twirling and weaving around the frame. "No, definitely not."

"The Luna moth only lives for one week. _Seven days_. It only has that small scrap of time to carry out its life…and to me I'd always imagined that because of such a short time on this earth it would never fail to live life to its best ability."

The Luna moth was truly beautiful. Elegant, long fairy wings cloaked in a mystical lime green graced the back of the creature. The very edges of the wings seemed to be tie-dyed a brilliant amethyst color, soaking into the emerald green. Intricate patterns were painted on the wings as well, comparable to the vibrancy of a peacock feather. Yuugi had never seen anything like it.

Both Anzu and Yuugi watched as the Luna moth finally pirouetted away from the window and fluttered directly above their heads. There was a magical quality about the way it moved, which appeared to be both energetic and purposeful.

"It's dancing to the beat of life," Anzu half-jokingly pointed out, "Maybe it's a sign. You know, to stop worrying about the details and to just _live_."

Yuugi felt the cooling summer breeze tousle his bangs, brushing them away from his face. "That's a phrase I can live by. Don't agonize over the past. Just look towards the future, and let the pieces fall into place."

Anzu watched the fairy-like being continue to rise and fall. She had never seen a Luna moth for as long as this before. When she was little, it had flown by for only an instant, long enough for her mom to spot it and explain what it was, but the moment was short-lived; with the blink of an eye, it had zipped off. Ever since that day she had kept her eye out for it, and yet the second she wasn't looking for it, the Luna moth had returned to her.

"Yuugi…if you only had one week to live, what would you do?"

Had they not mentioned the immediacy of life and the fate of the Luna moth, Yuugi would have not said it. But, like the luminous creature before them, time was precious, and not to be wasted on the what ifs.

"I would…make sure I told you how much I love you. Ever since I met you. It was a silly boy's crush at first, but I know it's grown to something so much deeper. And if I only had that one week, I would continue to tell you how I feel for you until the day I die."

The way that Yuugi had gazed at Anzu with such resolve and honesty made her heart feel like chocolate in the strongest heat of summer. Not one to normally blush, she couldn't help but feel the unfamiliar warmth that inflamed her cheeks anyway.

Where had the flame of Yuugi's confidence come from? It was only the tiniest spark at first and yet with time, instead of dying down like most fires, it had grown ablaze, pumping courage and assurance throughout his veins.

_This _was the "grownup" Yuugi. Not Atem, who displayed confidence-even arrogance- in his own way, no, this was just Yuugi. He would forever have a childlike quality to him that would eternally preserve his mind in the fountain of youth. And yet, this Yuugi would always pull through, never failing to say just the right things when Anzu craved to hear them the most. This Yuugi had a subtle confidence that was never overwhelming, and made every individual feel significant. This Yuugi was driven, and secure, and possessed the biggest heart Anzu had ever seen.

Carefully, Anzu took the palm of her hand and held it against the side of Yuugi's face. He leaned into the warmth, keeping his eyes on Anzu the whole time. At that moment, with the moon's rays casting off of Yuugi's eyes, Anzu felt they were even more beautiful than the wings of the Luna moth.

"I won't ever let you go," Anzu whispered to Yuugi. He knew she wasn't referring to their current state, however- she was indicating that as time passed, she would never let their relationship fade.

"I won't either," Yuugi smiled back as he took Anzu's hand that had held his face and laced their fingers together.

They sat like that for a long time, observing the stars before them, feeling the warmth of summer contrasting the gratifying chill of the wind, and witnessing the fleeting dance of the Luna moth as it drifted farther and farther away.

It was all so dreamlike and enchanting, yet Anzu felt the blooming relationship between her and her best friend was even more so. This moment in time, this brief snapshot of Anzu's life- she wanted to cherish it in her heart forever.

"Hey, you two lovebirds! Stop making kissy faces at each other and get off that stupid roof!" came an obnoxiously boisterous voice.

Anzu and Yuugi froze, broken out of their spell. They clearly knew who the owner was.

"Jounouchi…" Yuugi groaned as he looked down disapprovingly. "What are you two doing here?"

"We were checking to see if you guys had gone to bed yet- and it seems like we were more than wrong!" Honda shouted back, followed by an animal call.

Judging from their louder-than-usual voices and their even more rowdy nature, Anzu and Yuugi both guessed their friends had a few too many beers.

"Will you two shut up?! Yuugi has neighbors, you know!" Anzu chastised, straightening up her posture. "Seriously though, why are you guys here?"

"To invite you guys over to Honda's place for s'mores, you losers!" Jounouchi declared as he waved out his arms in his slightly drunken stupor.

Yuugi and Anzu blanched as they glanced down at their half-eaten mutant form of the campfire treat. It was so sweet that neither could finish theirs and truthfully, both felt slightly sick at the stomach.

"Do you realize what time it is?" Anzu finally asked, avoiding Jounouchi's question.

"Well, duh. It's about four in the morning…? That's not too late." Honda gave the two teens a silly uncomprehending smile as he struggled to stand still.

"I can't believe you two actually walked to my house…it's like a mile away!" Yuugi watched his friends carefully to see how inebriated they really were. Were they in any condition to even walk?

Jounouchi and Honda cast one another sly glances as they both shrugged. "It didn't seem that long," Jounouchi explained as he elbowed his travelling buddy, "Especially with all the sexy ladies drivin' by in their expensive sports cars-!"

"Aw simmer down, you," Anzu grumbled as she threw the half-eaten bag of potato chips over the roof, aiming to hit the two teens.

She was miserably off however, although Honda leaped at the bag and caught it. He stumbled when he landed back on the ground, then decided to heavily plop down on Yuugi's lawn with his newly found food. It didn't take him long to start munching on the chips.

"Hey, ever hear of sharing, you pig? Hand 'em over!" Jounouchi demanded as he settled himself next to Honda on the grass as well.

Yuugi groaned at this, pulling his hand out of Anzu's to rest his head on the heels of his hands. "They're definitely not in any condition to be walking back. They're gonna have to stay here, I guess." The teen heaved a sigh as he began grabbing all the food that littered his roof.

Anzu followed suit as she grabbed the remaining food and her half-empty glass of Kool-Aid. With her foot she lightly coaxed the window open and hastily ducked through into Yuugi's bedroom. Yuugi did the same, as they deposited all their food onto Yuugi's bed. Together they rushed down the stairs and outside, only to be greeted by their two friends, already passed out on a smothered bag of chips.

"Seriously…?" Anzu marveled as she prodded Honda with her foot. "We were just gone for not even a minute!"

"I'd call it a good thing," Yuugi pointed out as he began dragging Jounouchi into the house. "Come on, let's take them inside."

Mustering up all her strength, Anzu dragged the other teen into the house as well. Honda felt like a dead weight, completely motionless even with several smashed potato chips sticking to his face. She stifled a laugh at the sight and finally, after struggling to pull Honda over the porch steps, managed to deposit him on the floor, at the entrance of Yuugi's living room.

"You can't just leave him there on the floor like that!" Yuugi snorted as he dropped Jounouchi off onto a nearby couch. "Grandpa will probably come downstairs in the morning and trip over him."

"Oh _fine_," Anzu alleged as she linked her arms under Honda's and yanked him onto the other couch. "Now where are we supposed to sleep?"

"I guess the floor…" Yuugi laughed quietly, ignoring the look he was getting from Anzu.

"So your grandpa can trip on us?" Anzu questioned, repeating Yuugi's words. "Why is it our drunk friends can sleep on the couch while we get the floor?"

"You can sleep on my bed," Yuugi offered.

"No, I'd rather sleep on the floor," Anzu simply replied. Yuugi slapped his forehead.

About ten minutes later, sprawled across the floor was the comforter from Yuugi's bed, layered by various other blankets and pillows.

Dressed in one of Yuugi's loose-fitting tops, Anzu crawled under the blankets, sighing in contentment as her body finally stretched out from the long day.

True, she was slightly annoyed by the abrupt intrusion of Jounouchi and Honda, but quite frankly, she was exhausted anyway.

"What do you think your grandpa will say when he comes downstairs to see this?" Anzu mused, mostly to herself, while Yuugi turned off the only light in the room. Darkness soon washed over them, except for the faint stream of moonlight that had managed to escape through the window.

"I'm sure he's used to it," Yuugi said reassuringly as he too crawled under the blankets next to Anzu. Soon the warmth from his body was transferred over to Anzu as he yawned a drowsy, "Good night."

Anzu let a smile spread across her lips as she couldn't help but snuggle closer to her best friend. In the security of darkness, she murmured in reply, "I love you, Yuugi Mutou."

She then brushed her lips across Yuugi's cheek as a goodnight kiss. The sweet moment was soon cut off by an abrupt snore escaping from Honda's mouth as he mumbled something about catching fireflies.

Both Yuugi and Anzu stayed awkwardly silent for a few seconds before they broke out into quiet chuckles.

There is perfection in imperfection, Anzu finally decided. Despite the occasional explosion of hurricane snoring from both Jounouchi and Honda, she couldn't have felt happier in the presence of her closest friends…and the person she loved the most. Life was definitely not perfect, but that didn't mean little moments such as these couldn't be. To be able to look past the faults, to see through the cracks…

This was a life that Anzu was perfectly content to live out forever.

With Yuugi's fingers intertwined with her own, Anzu eventually lulled off into a deep slumber, dreaming of chocolate-suicide cheesecakes, Peep wars, starry nights and love.

As the four teens slept for the remaining hours of the night, in the waning moonlight, right outside the living room window, a carefree Luna moth danced right on by, celebrating the glow of the crystalline moon.

A/N: A special thanks goes to all out there who have read my story and enjoyed it! If you would feel so compelled, your thoughts would be very much appreciated.


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